General Talk '12 — Finland (Part II)

I'd rather take USA, Swizz or Slovaks than Canada like anyone. Even Canada hasn't been impressive this year I can't remember when we beat them last time. Others I'm not worried.

I hope for FIN-SWE final. Would be awesome to beat up our gay big brother again and now with their "dream team". Losing would be horrible. The bigger the stakes the better the game. And afterall it's just a sport. I love it

I'd say that in raw skill, Pulkkinen and Granlund are about equals, or with a minor edge for Granlund at best.

However, when it comes to consistence, meaning showing that skill night in night out, Pulkkinen has a lot to do if he wishes to reach Granlund's level. And this is the reason he's not in contention for the men's NT right now.

Considering that Granlund's main weapon is playmaking and passing and Pulkkinen's main weapon is goal scoring then i have to say that they are on different talent level. Granlund is way better playmaker than Pulkkinen is at goal scoring.

I think Jalonen left Pihlstrom out because he has nothing to prove. He's been solid on the 4th line and will continue to skate hard.

Pihlström and Pyörälä was only moved side for game or two to give Kiiskinen and Tuppurainen some game touch. Both P & P's are needed in important games. Pyörälä does the silent work that gets often unnoticed...huge shot blocking for example and even though Pihlström can't produce points his energy, speed and hits are needed when games get tough again.

Disagree. On his best night, Pulkkinen can be as important player to his team as Granlund is to his. Besides, last year, on his breakout season, he was actually more known as a pass feeder to Janne Lahti than an actual finisher - so he doesn't have a bad vision either. It's no MG-like of course, but the finishing ability makes up for that in the complete package.

But like I said, Pulu needs far more consistency if he ever wishes to be considered a name equal to Granlund. Currently Granlund is far ahead of him in that, and there's a perfectly justified reason why he's skating in the WHC and Pulkkinen is not.

I know Jalonen. Even if he did know that a win would bring a QF vs. Canada, he wouldn't tell his guys to lose on purpose. So it's a moot point.

I think you completely misunderstood. I'm not talking about Finland choosing an opponent, but the opposite. We aren't in control of anything else but winning the group and the rest is up to the other countries because of the schedule. Even if we win the group it doesn't guarantee that we miss Canada.

I posted this on Yle and Kaj Kunnas chose my question haha . 21:40 or so in this radio show episode:

Well JYP's coach shot it down, but still, it's possible we get screwed on this. Why Sweden gets to play on the last day and we dont as the reigning world champs. Why not the opposite. It's a bad seeding system and I don't get it. Btw I pretty much guessed Jyrki Aho was gonna answer on it like that (typical coach's answer), but it was interesting enough for them to pick that question, hence I asked it.

However one thing I like about the current overall schedule is that we've had some big games in the start of the tourney (CAN-USA), middle stage (FIN-CAN, SWE-RUS) and will have some very late too (USA-SUI). In the past WC we've had álmost all the big games at the end of the group state overlapping each other which sucked and the tournament was rather uninteresting early on excluding that 1 game in the 4 team starting group, but the middle point of the group stage was boring.

I like Kari Jalonen's idea of replacing Pyörälä with Tuppurainen or yes other option is indeed replacing Joensuu, but I wanna see the Canada game with the old lineup first.

Joensuu is kind of flashy in the starts of the games and then he disappears. I've noticed that couple of times already about him. This is not the case with the other winger in their line Komarov.

I don't think Kiiskinen deserves to play more than the Kazakstan game in this year's tournament unfortunately, unless there will be injuries. He needed to do more today (yeah first period ruined for him, because of the penalties bla bla bla). He needed a HUGE game to get into the line up. I think he'd be pretty useless/invisible vs North-American teams due to his size etc and maybe defensively. Based on today's game Tuppurainen seems WAY more useful and he's more suitable for #3-4 line.

Based on today's game Tuppurainen seems WAY more useful and he's more suitable for #3-4 line.

Funny, as in my opinion Tuppurainen wasn't good at all, notice that he played against France and couldn't really do things except that one assist. Kiiskinen was much better IMO but if Jalonen wants 4 to be more defensive he should take Pyörälä over Tuppurainen definitely but i would give chance for Kiiskinen, i think he had a good game.

Funny, as in my opinion Tuppurainen wasn't good at all, notice that he played against France and couldn't really do things except that one assist. Kiiskinen was much better IMO but if Jalonen wants 4 to be more defensive he should take Pyörälä over Tuppurainen definitely but i would give chance for Kiiskinen, i think he had a good game.

I agree, Tuppurainen was actually pretty bad, he made bad plays whole game except 1 assist he got, no use to have guy like that in 4th line, bad pickup by Jalonen. Kiiskinen on the other hand made handful of good plays and was best forward in 4th line.

I think you completely misunderstood. I'm not talking about Finland choosing an opponent, but the opposite. We aren't in control of anything else but winning the group and the rest is up to the other countries because of the schedule. Even if we win the group it doesn't guarantee that we miss Canada.

No, I didn't. It doesn't matter whether we were in a position to "control" the situation or not. Jalonen does not play to lose, no matter what it means for the QF. And therefore it doesn't matter if we give that chance to any of the other teams either.

See? Doesn't matter a flying bang whether we or somebody else are in control. What does matter however, is the extra day of rest granted to us by whoever designed the schedule.

Besides, if you look at the current situation in group H and what's happening with not just Switzerland and USA, but also Slovakia and who they will play, there's actually a fair chance that USA-SUI will be classic "do or die" game where the winner will enter the top 8 and loser is fifth in group.

Granlund is obviously not the player he was last year: much less confidence and self-assertiveness there. And even so he can work miracles at any given point - the potential (at least on big ice) is truly amazing. I hope (and I would easily sacrifice this tournament for that hope to come true) that he will regain his composure: it's such pleasure to see something so exceptional...

Anyway, Finland seems very balanced, exactly as expected: discipline, offensive skill, hot goaltending with tight team play compensating for at times slightly shaky defenders. In a best of one match I would not hope for Finland as the opponent. It will be interesting though to see how well we'll match Canada with Jalonen's "our game" puck control tactics - Canada certainly has the potential to snuff out our slow attacks with their quick, aggressive and skillful forechecking.

I think you completely misunderstood. I'm not talking about Finland choosing an opponent, but the opposite. We aren't in control of anything else but winning the group and the rest is up to the other countries because of the schedule. Even if we win the group it doesn't guarantee that we miss Canada.

I posted this on Yle and Kaj Kunnas chose my question haha . 21:40 or so in this radio show episode:

Well JYP's coach shot it down, but still, it's possible we get screwed on this. Why Sweden gets to play on the last day and we dont as the reigning world champs. Why not the opposite. It's a bad seeding system and I don't get it. Btw I pretty much guessed Jyrki Aho was gonna answer on it like that (typical coach's answer), but it was interesting enough for them to pick that question, hence I asked it.

However one thing I like about the current overall schedule is that we've had some big games in the start of the tourney (CAN-USA), middle stage (FIN-CAN, SWE-RUS) and will have some very late too (USA-SUI). In the past WC we've had álmost all the big games at the end of the group state overlapping each other which sucked and the tournament was rather uninteresting early on excluding that 1 game in the 4 team starting group, but the middle point of the group stage was boring.

I don't think I agree with this. I tend to think that a 4 team group with 2 "good teams" is better and then a 2nd group play. Then you move on to second group play. That means you'll play against two weak nations in the beginning and then you'll bascailly only have games that count and are against good opposition. FIN were (in a matter of speaking) lucky with the group since you have CAN, USA, SVK and, to a certain extent, SUI. In SWE's group we only have RUS and CZE so it's 2 interesting games and 5 hmmmm games...

I'm watching all games anyway but I'm a hockey addict so it doesn't say very much. That said, I really really wish these group games will be over soon.

See you in the final!!! FIN-SWE, re-match, please please please.
Just for the record, I'll be in depression for a week if we lose, but I'll harass my Finnish friends for a month if we win

Okey, so in every game at helsingfors theres a instrumental song that I think i realy great, theres that base section that starts then and then and its just blows my mind! anyone who knows what song I mean? and whats the titel of the song?

EDIT: omg I realy ****ed up the "wahts the sond" part there (Whats the song*)

Lets see how the PIG line does against Canada. My fear is they are too slow and defensively in big troubles but lets see how they do. Im positively surprised if they rock.

Well you were right. They were pretty much invisible offensively and seemed to be in trouble every time they were on the ice against the Getzlaf line. Maybe some changes are needed, they just looked completely useless.

First line is awesome though, Jokinen is still soft but at least he can score now

Okey, so in every game at helsingfors theres a instrumental song that I think i realy great, theres that base section that starts then and then and its just blows my mind! anyone who knows what song I mean? and whats the titel of the song?

EDIT: omg I realy ****ed up the "wahts the sond" part there (Whats the song*)